This invention relates to an improved snap for quickly connecting or disconnecting two items. The snap is particularly useful to connect or disconnect two straps of a horse halter or the like.
In many fields, the need exists to quickly connect or disconnect two items such as the end of a pet leash to the collar of a pet, or two straps of a halter for a horse. There has been a universally accepted snap hook which has traditionally been used for such purposes. This hook, which would be carried at the end of one of the items, is j-shaped in configuration having an arm with a hook which is designed to engage the other item formed at one end of the arm. A spring-loaded clasp arm has one end carried at the other end of the arm with its other end being selectively engageable with the open portion of the hook. When engaging an item, the clasp arm is biased against the hook to confine the item within the hook. By applying a force to the clasp arm, it can be moved away from the hook, and the item that was previously being engaged can be removed from the space formed between the clasp arm and the hook.
While these types of snap hooks have served their purpose in many applications for many years, they are not without their problems for at least some applications. In particular, the spring tension on the clasp arm must be strong enough to maintain the item within the hook while at the same time not be so strong as to make it difficult for the user to open the snap. Thus, oftentimes when a quick connecting or disconnecting snap is desirable, the minimal tension on the clasp arm to enable one to perform the task quickly is insufficient to prevent accidental unhooking of the item.
When employed in applications such as to attach the open ends of a horse halter to affix the halter to the horse, such problems are compounded because the junction must be strong, yet the hooking action must take place quickly before the horse determines that it does not want to receive the halter. Moreover, when these snap hooks were first employed on halters, the clasp arm was positioned facing away from the body of the horse. As such, movement of the horse might allow the clasp arm to come into contact with an item, such as the fence of a pasture, which could either open the halter and release the horse, or cause the hook to engage the fence thereby attaching the horse to the fence. As a result of this potential hazard, more recently the snap hooks have been turned around so that the clasp arm is against the body of the horse. However, not only does such a positioning make it harder to move the clasp arm, but also this positioning can cause an irritable rubbing on the body of the horse.
The need exists, therefore, for a snap connector which can be universally used for all applications while at the same time be acceptable for certain specialized applications such as for the halter of a horse.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a snap connector which can be quickly and easily operated to connect two items together or to disconnect those items.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a snap connector, as above, which securely engages the items to be connected and yet is operable to connect or disconnect the items with a minimal force.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a snap connector, as above, which is not susceptible to accidental opening, thereby inadvertently releasing an item.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a snap connector, as above, which is readily adaptable for use in horse halters or the like.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a snap connector, as above, which when used in a halter does not present a safety hazard to the horse.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a snap connector, as above, which when used in a halter does not present an irritant to the horse.
These and other objects of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art forms, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.
In general, an apparatus for connecting a first item to a second item made in accordance with the present invention includes a housing adapted to be attached to the first item and an arm pivotally connected to the housing. A hook is formed on one end of the arm and a spring is positioned between the arm and the housing to bias the hook end of the arm toward the housing so that the second item may be retained between the hook and the housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a connector can be used in conjunction with an animal halter which includes a first strap adapted to be received around the nose and chin of the animal and a second strap adapted to be received around the head and throat of the animal. A plurality of tabs connect the straps, and at least one of the straps is interrupted to form first and second strap ends. The connector is carried by the first strap end and includes a housing and an arm pivotally connected to the housing. A spring is positioned between the arm and the housing to bias the arm so that the second strap end may be maintained between the arm and the housing.
A preferred exemplary snap connector and horse halter made in accordance with the present invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings without attempting to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied, the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.